Previously, and in common usage, there have been hospital gowns which have a solid front and a single rear overlapping panel opening extending from the neck to the hem and with at least a couple of ties to secure the rear flaps together. With such gowns, the wearer puts it on in reverse and may require assistance in tying the rear ties. The rear flaps also tend to fly open and do not necessarily provide ample coverage for maintaining a wearer's modesty.
A proposed improvement was made to such typically used gowns as described in Leaf U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,120, issued Mar. 31, 1987 and entitled "Hospital-Type Gown With Front and Rear Openings." The gown of the Leaf patent, as proposed, was to be made up of left and right halves, including arm openings with the two halves being permanently connected together only along the neckline at the back of the gown and thereby providing rear overlaps which could be tied together with one or more ties at the front, and also at least one tie on the back as well. While such a proposed gown purported to solve the problem of preserving a patient's modesty, yet allowing a physician or nurse to manipulate the gown easily for treatment or examination purposes, it has not apparently found widespread acceptance or replacement of the still more commonly utilized front slip on and rear opening type of gowns. The rear overlapping portions of the Leaf patent gown, secured only at the neckline, still provide only a relatively narrow band of overlap even though it is relatively substantial in comparison to the solely rear tied types widely utilized which often fail to provide any real coverage to the patient.
In addition, the Leaf patent construction arrangement still renders such gowns ill fitting and practically shapeless as well as not being readily susceptible to cost savings in material and labor necessary for assembling the gown.
Accordingly, a need has still arisen for a hospital-type gown which can be worn more comfortably and stylishly by a patient, yet overcomes all the problems attendant with prior gowns, particularly in the areas of cost savings and east of manufacture while not diminishing or interfering with the utilitarian aspects required of such gowns.